Hello humankindness™

It’s Not About One Day: Romantic Ideas Should Be a Year-Round Endeavor

by Evan Wade

Whether this year marks the first Valentine’s Day with your sweetheart or you’ve been lucky enough to spend several Februaries with the same great guy or gal, you probably know that the 14th shouldn’t be your only dose of romantic fun for the year. But let’s face it — celebrating your relationship all year long can really exhaust your creativity.

That’s not to say romantic ideas have to be major undertakings every time; being a full-time Valentine is less about grand gestures and more about offering small daily gestures of affection. Play your cards right, and you can make Valetine’s day feel like “just another day” — but in a very good way.

Keep It Simple, Sweetheart

A good romantic move can be as big as a vacation or as small as a compliment. Since we’re talking daily romance, however, it’s fair to assume that the latter category (and similarly simple gestures) will make up the brunt of your romantic ideas.

To put it another way, don’t sweat the big stuff — at least, not all the time. While there’s still a definite time and place for the large-scale gesture, keeping the major value of small moves in mind is a great way to play cupid throughout the year. Plus, you have a lot more time to come up with romantic ideas when you aren’t stressing over what you’re going to do.

The Element of Surprise

Another crucial aspect of year-round romanticism is making your partner feel loved at unexpected times. If your sweetheart can set a watch by your decision to pick up a bouquet of flowers or bottle of cologne, the element of surprise is negated.

Instead, look for ways to be romantic in a more spontaneous fashion. One nifty trick here: Keep a diary or text file of romantic ideas you’ve acted on. If you notice a pattern in your loving gestures, especially if you’ve been at it a while, it may be time to switch things up. Love is a lot of things, but it shouldn’t always be predictable.

Listen (No, Seriously!)

There’s little doubt that partners display their love in different ways. By the same token, one partner will often express their love in a certain way because that’s the way they want to be treated, giving you a golden opportunity to show your skill as a listener — so listen! If it sounds simple, it’s also arguably the most important part of making every day Valentine’s Day. Wherever you are in your relationship, keeping an open ear to the other side’s efforts helps ensure that your own don’t go wasted. Better yet, the moves you do end up making will be more considerate and effective.

Romantic Ideas Year-Round

Okay, so the line about Valentine’s Day being just another day was probably a little bit of an exaggeration. But by doing the best you can to stay romantic throughout the year, the holiday doesn’t have to be the focal point of your romantic life. Besides, what do the special people in our lives give you if not a chance to be romantic year-round? Keep it simple and surprising — and be sure to keep your ears open — and you’ll be surprised at just how effective your attempts will be.